Raised, and introduced in 1904, by Charles Baltet, Troyes, Fr. Tree vigorous, pyramidal, very productive. Fruit large to very large, club-shaped, oblique at the base, yellowish, blushed with red; stem short; flesh melting, juicy, sugary, delicately perfumed; very good; Nov. and Dec.
Virgouleuse. 1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:224, Pl. LI. 1768. 2. Brookshaw Hort. Reposit. 1:Pl. XLIX, fig. 1. 1823. 3. Hogg Fruit Man. 661. 1884.
This variety originated at the village of Virgouleé, near Limoges, of which the Marquis Chambrette was the baron, and by whom it was first introduced about 1650. From this circumstance it has often been called Chambrette, after the marquis. The tree is strong and vigorous but is a late and indifferent bearer and is apt to drop its fruit before ripe. It is said that the fruit is very susceptible to absorbing odors and flavors and must be stored near materials which will improve rather than impair the flavor. In Europe it is regarded as an excellent dessert pear, but in this country it has not met with great success. Fruit medium to large, pyriform, rounded towards the eye and tapering thickly towards the stalk; skin smooth, delicate, lively green becoming a beautiful pale lemon-yellow, sprinkled with numerous gray and red dots; calyx small, open, set in a small shallow basin; stem an inch long, fleshy at the base, attached with no depression; flesh yellowish-white, delicate, buttery, melting, very juicy, with a sugary and perfumed flavor; Nov. to Jan.
Vital. 1. Rev. Hort. 271, 425, figs. 110, 111. 1891.
Beurré Vital. 2. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 185. 1889.
Found near Pontoise, Fr., prior to 1890 by M. Vital. Tree vigorous, productive, an annual bearer. Fruit 3¼ in. long, 3 in. broad, resembling White Doyenné, unequal, sloping towards both top and bottom but more towards the stem end; skin beautiful golden-yellow in color; stem short; flesh whitish, melting, slightly granular, sweet, agreeably perfumed; sometimes keeping as late as May.
Vitrier. 1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:139, Pl. XLIV, fig. 4. 1768. 2. Prince Pom. Man. 1:106. 1831.
Valerius Cordus, a botanist, who died in 1544, mentions a Pyrum Vitreum common in Saxony, and it may be, then, that Vitrier is of this origin. Fruit large, oval, deep red speckled with brown points on the sunny side and light green dotted with deeper green on the shady side; stem moderately large, an inch long; flesh white but not very delicate, agreeable; Nov. and Dec.
Volkmarserbirne. 1. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:13. 1856. 2. Lauche Deut. Pom. II:No. 96. Pl. 96. 1883.
Volkmarsen. 3. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:750, fig. 1869.